Using Wilson's Words
by ghnobody
Summary: When House and Cuddy argue, he remembers the worst thing a friend has ever said to him. Spoilers for Season 6 Ep Wilson. Rated T for very light adult language
1. Chapter 1

I do not own House, nor will I ever. (sigh)

Would like to say thanks to my friend Mitch for helping me with translation, though all mistakes are my own. English is not my first language so the translation may be worded strange but we thinks its pretty decent. I love reviews and con crit, as i realize I'm not a strong writer so help is very much appreciated.

Takes place after Season 6 Ep Wilson, spoilers for eps up then.

* * *

House hobbled across the lobby scanning it for possible disturbances. He was planning on heading to his office and watching his soap for a good few hours before emerging or working on his case, so avoiding Cuddy and the team was critical.

"House we need to talk," a voice said harshly behind him. He nearly jumped, _had Cuddy been hiding behind that desk?_

"No we don't. I'm pretty sure we have a case, and I haven't done anything out of the ordinary crazy so . . ." he limped away without look back.

"My office now, or I'm adding six more hours of clinic this week." She threatened. He spun around as quickly as his legs would allow and glared at her before heading for her office. If she no longer wanted to play the games, neither did he.

He had barely flopped down onto her couch before she started in.

"You bought my loft!!! I thought you said you were ok with me and Lucas, and then you do this, what is wrong with you, can't you just leave me alone? I thought we had decided to have solely business relationship!" Cuddy seethed.

House looked at her keeping his face completely emotionless. "Wilson bought the loft not me," he stated simply.

"But you told him to, I know it. We were going to start a family there . . ." her words fading to silence, to upset to speak.

"And there's not any other place to do that in Princeton," House stated sarcastically, though at this point both knew that the loft wasn't really what this was about. "Look, I'm tired of you dragging me into your relationship, I'm done with this, so unless you have anything relevant to my job, I'm leaving. " He turned and stalked toward the door. He stopped only when he heard a sob behind him. Pausing, but not turning to face her.

"When did we stop being friends House? We used to go out to drink, me you and Wilson, go out to dinner, we used to enjoy being around each other." She stopped another tear sliding down her cheek.

She had hurt him, hurt him bad with Thanksgiving and the whole Lucas ordeal. He could remember only one other time he had been hurt this bad. "I'm done with this, I'm done with you. I'm not sure we were ever friends, Cuddy. And if we were, we're not ever going to be again, a purely work relationship." He added, spitting her own words back at her. He pulled her door open and strode out the door. _Everybody lies, House thought, everybody lies . . ._

_

* * *

I'm not really sure where I'm going with this, whether its a one shot or not, but if anyone has any ideas for a continuation I would love for you to PM me or leave a review with an idea in it. Thanks_


	2. Chapter 2

I know this is incredibly short but I had originally intended to make the previous chap a one shot only to find that people were interested in more. So, thanks you for the kind reviews, and I realize this chap is really boring but the next should be more interesting. Also, still don't really no where I'm going with this I would love suggestions, so any PMs or ideas in reviews would be very much appreciated. Also of course I still don't own House . . . . If only . . .

* * *

Cuddy sat brooding in her office. She didn't know why she had broken down, or why House's words hurt so much. She had invited him into her office to simply yell at him and get out some of her anger about the loft. But the way he had looked at her, whether it was indifference or anger in his eyes she couldn't tell, had hurt her. Usually there was that sarcastic glimmer, and once or twice even hurt, yet today he hadn't seemed to care at all. And that hurt more than anything.

Still, the day must go on, she thought to herself getting up and trying to pretend that the previous encounter had never happened. It wasn't until a donor asked her what was wrong that she realized there was still a solitary tear rolling down her face. She wiped it away and complained of allergies.

* * *

House sat in his office wondering what had made him snap like that. He thought he should be sad that he had broken another tie with Cuddy, but in some twisted way he wasn't. He almost felt as though some weight had been lifted off of his shoulders, no more getting yelled at for everything he did, no more being told he never thought of her when she never stopped to think of him, no more getting hurt the way he was each time she turned and walked away without looking back. He reached down into the bottom drawer of his desk and pulled out a dusty manila folder, one that he hadn't touched in years. He opened it and wondered if it was time to move on.


	3. Chapter 3

I do not own House blah blah blah. . . . Thanks for the idea's for this chapter! I have a feeling my writing isn't flowing very well because I'm having some trouble with my English grammar and probably using commas in weird places cause I have trouble with that, but anyway . . . Thank you for the reviews, and I would appreciate any ideas for the story PMed to me! Thanks!

* * *

Wilson walked past House's office glancing in to see what his friend was up to. Seeing House staring at an old folder he couldn't help but wonder what it was. He quickly pushed the glass doors open startling his friend. House quickly dropped the folder back into a drawer and slammed it shut.

"What's that?" Wilson questioned.

"Pornographic pictures of the twins, what else?" House retorted sarcastically.

"Of course the are," Wilson added, rolling his eyes, about to question House more about the mysterious folder, but seeing the stubborn look on his face, he decided to give up. "So what's the next plan of action?" Wilson said changing the subject.

"What?"

"How are you going to try to break Lucas and Cuddy up this time?"

"So now you're encouraging me? That's a distinct change of heart from nothing good will ever come of this."

"Not encouraging, just wondering," Wilson said grinning, "and your not answering my question so that must mean it's either very good, or very bad."

House didn't answer, simply spun his cane, his face suddenly blank.

"What's wrong House?" Wilson said worriedly.

"Nothing, I've just decided that Lucas can keep Cuddy, in fact I'll encourage it as long as it keeps her away from me."

"Now that's a change of heart, what happened to I wanna be in a relationship with Cuddy?" Wilson said light heartedly trying to ignore his growing concern over House's statements.

"Nope I'm done. She took me into her office this morning, screamed at me, told me she wanted a purely work relationship, than started sobbing about why I wasn't a better friend. I'm sick of it, I'm done taking her crap time after time."

Wilson cocked his head to the side and furrowed his eyebrows in his what-is-House-up-to now-look, before shaking his head. "I'm really not sure what's going on here but I'm gonna go talk to Cuddy." He turned and headed back out the door glancing back at his friend who seemed to be deep in his own thoughts.

Seeing Cuddy in her office, Wilson strode quickly in without knocking.

"I see you've picked up House's habit of never knocking," Cuddy said none of the jest of her words showing on her face.

"What did you do to him?"

"What did I do to him???!!!" She retorted angrily, not needing an explanation of who he was, "That ass bought my loft, assisted by you," she spat, "then came in here mocked my relationship with Lucas and told me he wasn't my friend."

Wilson sighed, rubbing a hand wearily over his eye. He wondered what the real story was, he could never really tell with those two. But Cuddy looked seemingly unshaken by their argument, and House on the other hand, well he looked pretty bad. Kind of like there was nothing left of the crazy House he knew. Wilson had been seeing more and more of that look recently. When he found out about Cuddy and Lucas, when he found out Cuddy told Lucas about the hallucination, the Thanksgiving dinner, whatever this argument was about. Wilson was worried for this friend, worried that this shallow tired version of the former House would stick, and he knew that Cuddy was causing all this.

"Ok Cuddy, just listen for a second. House is having a really hard time right now. He's in three times the amount of pain he usually is, he's heartbroken, and he's overly tired. Maybe you could just cut him some slack for a little while."

"I get it, poor old House is back from the crazy farm, but he had it coming, damn it, he's been abusing a powerful drug for years. He could have prevented this and you know it! All I'm asking is that he just leave me alone and let me get on with me life."

Wilson stared at Cuddy, shocked. "I'm not sure what's wrong with you, Cuddy, but I do know you are in no place to be calling House a bad friend, do you know what you just said for god's sake?" Wilson shook his head. "All I'm going to say is you better stay the hell away from House," he spat, before storming out of the room.

Wilson headed straight for his office knowing he'd have to calm down before he talked to House again. He opened the door, and started at seeing House sitting at his desk. The diagnostician looked up at Wilson, with the same tired expression.

"Are you ok?" Wilson said closing the door behind him gently, for some unexplained gut feeling, afraid of what his friend was about to say.

"What would you think of me resigning Jimmy? House said quietly.


	4. Chapter 4

Once again I apologize that nothing much really happens in this chapter, but I figured I might as well post it. Thanks again for all the great reviews. Also, I was wondering do you guys want House to stay in the area with Wilson, maybe go work at Princeton General or go further away? Let me know, and keep the ideas coming, they're great! Also I don't own House, so sad.

* * *

"What now?" Cuddy snapped glancing up to see House clunking into her office. She had felt guilty after her outburst yesterday, and had fully intended to apologize to House and Wilson today, but her day had gone from bad to worse after a donor had retracted his donation meant to fund a good portion of new equipment for the clinic.

House said nothing, simply tossed a pile of papers onto her desk, and turned. He had meant to leave without out a word, but paused right before the door. "Goodbye Cuddy, I hope this makes you happy." He went through the door and didn't look back.

He walked through the lobby back to the elevator meaning to grab his stuff and get out before a confrontation. Opening the door to his office he saw his ducklings chatting animatedly in the next room. He grabbed some papers and files that he had pulled out of his desk, and his favorite tennis ball before turning to head out the door. He was startled to see his team standing in the doorway to his office.

"Wilson told you?" He sighed, he had hoped to leave without his team realizing he wouldn't be coming back.

Foreman nodded, "We wanted to say goodbye."

House was silent, simply glancing at them.

"We uhh thought you might like this," Chase added holding out a rectangular object. It was a framed picture of House, the team, and Wilson at a local bar. He remembered the time because they very rarely saw eachother outside of the hospital. It was before Kutner had died, and he still had his new, now old, team of Foreman, Taub Thirteen, and Kutner. They were waiting for test results from some case, that was urgent enough that they couldn't go home, so they had all gone out for a quick bite with Chase, Cameron, and Wilson. But the patient had died while they were out, crashed suddenly. They had all needed a drink.

House rolled his eyes, "I'll be sure to put this in my best friends forever scrapbook," he said, but couldn't help smiling a little, at the drunken grins on their faces.

"Bye House," they said looking sincerely distressed at their bosses' departure. One by one the guys held out their hands for house to shake. He figured what the hell, nodding as he gripped their hands, and allowing 13 to give him a quick hug. He hadn't really seen her as the hugging type.

"Don't kill too many patients, with Daddy out of town and all," House smirked, and headed out the door. He walked quickly through the lobby hoping to avoid Cuddy. As he stepped out the door into the brisk air around him, he wondered if he was doing the right thing. This time he couldn't help but take one last glance back.

Cuddy had been surprised by House's quick departure and odd choice of words, and wondered what was up. She flipped the cover page of the packet on her desk open, and she froze. It was a resignation, effective immediately. She read the words over and over again, as though not sure if she had understood them correctly. She didn't know how long she sat there staring at the pages hoping that this was some kind of cruel joke. There at the bottom of the last page House had hand written a note asking her to keep the diagnostics department open, that his team were more than competent to run it. She knew she would, not because of that though, simply because if it was open, House could still come back. She traced her finger along the signature at the bottom of the page, wondering if this would be the last time she would see it.


	5. Chapter 5

Don't own House blah blah blah . . . Thanks for all the kind reviews and ideas. And don't worry, House will be back in Princeton sooner than you think! Thanks for reading. I edited this chap so you may have read a different version. I've never written Cuddy before, but after I thought about it, I didn't like the idea of her breaking down, it just didn't feel right. Also, do you guys want House to get a girlfriend and see some jealous Cuddy? I'm thinking about it. . .

* * *

Wilson walked into his home, and took off his coat, at first not seeing House who was settled happily on the sofa.

"I think tonight's takeout," House called, startling Wilson.

Wilson looked out House, who seemed relatively calm, "Are you -"

"I'm fine. Actually I'm kinda hungry, you wanna call it in?"

Normally, Wilson would have pursued this conversation further, but in truth, House did look happy, happier than he had seen him in a long time. Wilson grabbed the phone and called in their usual. He was just about to join House in front of the TV when he happened to glance into his friend's room from across the hall. A tattered old black suitcase was semi-filled, with other clothes strewn across the bed.

"Where are you going House?" he said sharply.

"Don't worry Jimmy," he said tossing his friend a stack of papers, "I wasn't planning on just sneaking out." Wilson skimmed the papers quickly, before breaking into a grin. "Your sure your good with this?" He questioned.

"Ya," House replied honestly, "I think I'm better than I've been in a long time."

A few hours later found the two stretched out on various chairs and sofas with take out boxes thrown all over the floor. As the soap they were watching faded to commercial, Wilson raised his beer, "To the end of an era," he toasted.

House shook his head but raised his as well. "You are so cliché Wilson, they only make toasts on crappy TV shows."

With grins on their faces, they settled back into their comfortable silence as General Hospital flashed back on.

* * *

The next morning came quickly, and Wilson got up to see his friend to the door. You're sure I can't drive you to the airport," Wilson almost pleaded.

"For the last time Daddy, I'm a big boy now."

"Fine, bye House."

"See ya Jimmy, and don't you dare touch my jello shots," he said warningly, before stepping out, nodding at his friend, and walking to the car.

* * *

Cuddy woke up next to Lucas, but feeling more alone than she ever had. _What if House was really gone? This was what she wanted, wasn't it? _She sat in bed shivering, before coming to a decision, she couldn't lose House, in truth she was completely lost without him. She would go apologize, do whatever it took to get him to come back, and he would be back at work by Monday, and everything would be ok, she needed it to be. She sprung out of bed, having made a decision. Lucas rolled over and mumbled something.

"Emergency at the hospital, I have to go," she called to him dashing to her closet then out of the room, not bothering to look back. She stopped to glance at a sleeping Rachel, before heading out the door. She sped to House's, though not really knowing why. _It wasn't an emergency, was it? Of course he'll still be there she chided herself, they had played at this game before, he had resigned countless times in the past, nothing would be different this time she convinced herself._

She raced up to the stoop and knocked, then rung the door bell, then knocked again.

"What is it Cuddy?" A clearly agitated Wilson questioned as he opened the door slightly.

"I want to see House." Cuddy said using her best Dean of Medicine tone.

"No."

"Wilson, just let me talk to him."

"Not possible."

"Don't give me that Wilson, House!" She tried to call around him.

"Cuddy," Wilson said keeping his face expressionless, "House is gone."

"Wha-Wha-What?"

"He left this morning, for his new job, his flights been gone hours. I don't know you thought you were going to do by coming here, but its too late."

"Wilson, please," she pleaded, not sure what for.

"Its your fault Cuddy," he said feeling little pity for the woman, "your the one that let him slip away." Wilson gave her one last glance then shut the door. When he heard another knock a moment later, he ignored it.

Cuddy stood frozen outside of House's former home. As she made her way slowly to the car she felt as though a knot was slowly tightening in her stomach. She reached the car and sat in the parking lot for who knows how long. She later didn't remember doing it, but pulled down the street to a bar, just switched its open sign to on.

"You serving drinks this early?" she hobbled in. Taking in the woman's disheveled exterior, the waitress nodded politely.

"Sure honey, lemme see what I can do." Cuddy realized that the pain had faded, but now, she simply felt nothing, nothing at all. She sat and prayed that House would simply come back, because it was too late for her to do anything else. Too late, she realized, for her to do anything to try and bring back her friend. It was only than she realized that the pain was gone, and now she felt nothing, she was simply, empty.

* * *

House pushed opened the floors into the office, oddly similar to Cuddy's, back home he thought. At first glance he saw no one, till a head popped up from behind a leather sofa in front of him.

"House!" a disheveled looking grey haired man cried in excitement.

"Ian," House nodded unable to keep a small smile off his face at the sight of his old friend.

"Welcome to Yale," he laughed, "I never thought I'd see the day you worked for me," the man said with a slightly wicked grin. "Ohh don't worry House," he added seeing the look on the other man's face, "I realize I'm never really gonna be your boss."

"You got that right," House smirked, before settling himself at the man's desk, and spinning around to face him.


	6. Chapter 6

Thanks for the reviews! I appreciate all of your input! Expect another chapter soon, and a House Cuddy confrontation, followed by jealous Cuddy! Sorry, Cuddy's just really been pissing me off recently. Also, I don't own House . . . sadness . . .

* * *

It was weird the way life continued normally without House. Well, not quite normally. She had drunken herself to oblivion at twelve on the day House left. Lucas had come to pick her up. She had mad up some crap about lots of patients dying or something, and though Lucas had known it was a lie he had nodded and taken care of his girl.

She had gone back to work and had almost convinced herself that she didn't need House, that she was better off without him. Lucas was there for her unlike House had ever been, she told her self. So when Wilson glared at her from across the lobby she would smile politely and walk away, as though nothing was wrong. Even the team had taken to giving her a nasty look when she passed them by. But still, she felt almost ok, just a little lonely.

So when Lucas asked her to go out for a quick bite to eat, about a week after House had left, she agreed needing a reason to get out of the hospital. They grabbed a bite at the local sandwich shop and exited shortly after, sipping hot coffees. Cuddy glanced into the stores windows as she passed wondering about Christmas gifts and sales. As she strode by the pizza place a block from the hospital she chocked on her scalding hot beverage. There was House. House. With his team and Wilson. All chuckling at some story House had probably told. She didn't believe it, but as she leaned in closer to the window it was him. Lucas, upon seeing what she was staring at, grabbed her arm and pulled her away.

"Stop it, you're done with him, he quit, he's probably just back for the weekend to see Wilson," Lucas told her firmly.

House, Wilson, and the team sat in the pizza place oblivious to all that was going on outside the window.

"How the hell did you do that?" Foreman asked.

"What?" House asked innocently.

"This job that's insane, does that Dean of Medicine have any idea what he's getting himself into. Letting you run a Diagnostics apartment while not in the same state? He's screwed."

"Yep," House nodded smugly.

"Seriously, how did you get this guy to agree?" Thirteen persisted.

"Well I just walked in, and he was like, wow, look at that sexy beast, he's gonna look awesome on the cover's of all our new brochures, and he hired me."

Wilson rolled his eyes, and the rest chuckled, it was good to see House, even after him being gone only a week.

"All right, well we better be heading back," Chase said staring glumly at his pager.

"Ok, I'll see you guys around," House said, grabbing his leather jacket, "and don't forget your lines. Oh, and Chase don't you dare touch the other tennis ball I left in my office, you know I can't stand it when people play with my balls." He grinned and headed out the door.


	7. Chapter 7

I realize I probably should have posted the last two chaps together, so I'm sorry, but thanks for the reviews, interest, and ideas. Also I don't own House as I'm guessing you've all figured out.

* * *

Cuddy had tried to stop thinking about House, but it was weird, that House was here. He had left, hadn't he? She needed to know, that was one thing she and House had always ha in common, a need for answers. She headed out to the lobby, wondering how to find House. Could he still be living at Wilson's?" As she reached the clinic she saw House's team gathered together.

"Why's he at the Mariott?" Questioned Chase.

"He just staying there for the conference tonight." Taub said.

"Wow this boss must be pretty good to get House to go to a conference, even Cuddy had trouble doing that. What room's he in again? I have to go drop of the rest of the crap he left in his office." said Thirteen.

"513," Foreman supplied.

"Don't you guys have anything better to do than sit gossiping in the clinic?" cuddy marched up, ad interrupted.

"Actually no, since you're the one that's supposed to give us cases." Foreman said, with a bit of Hosue-esque snark.

"Well there'll be on your desk shortly," The Dean said before striding away.

As she drove to the hotel she wondered just what she was doing. She knew she wanted to apologize first. Then maybe see if she could get him to come back. But at the very least she the apology she thought. As she headed through the doors and towards the elevators she almost turned around, but couldn't, she had to do this.

She stepped off onto the fifth floor and headed to the right. She gulped as she heard a voice that she hadn't expected or wanted present for this.

"All I'm saying is you better back off of Lisa!" Lucas shouted.

House, standing in the doorway, said, "And all I'm saying is that I want nothing to do with her."

"So you just happened to have your team tell Cuddy exactly where your staying then. Ya I heard them gossiping about your clever plan in the lobby."

"Look, all I wanted was to say goodbye. The way we left it last time wasn't right. I was wrong, we may not be friends now, but at some point we were. I just wanted to end things cleanly, Ok?" House retorted almost as loudly.

Cuddy inwardly cringed. How could she have been such an idiot, of course House had set her up to come here. She shook her head at her own idiocy and rounded the corner. Both men froze.

"Cuddy," House said curtly.

"Lisa."

"I don't know whats going on here, but I want to go home, Lucas!" Cuddy called.

"I'll tell you what's going on here, I wanted you to come see me, so I could apologize, but lucky for me your gimp showed up instead. Well, at least I finally know what you actually think of me. So I'm just some crazy, stalker, drug addict, who really needs to find someone who cares next time I start hallucinating huh? That is unless I want that entire _personal _story told to everyone you meet on the street. Its also great to know that you think I want the pain, as you've told both this idiot and Wilson." House yelled.

"House," Cuddy tried to cut in, quietly.

The man limped over to her and stood directly in front of her.

"I'm sorry for thinking you were someone your not, I'm sorry for thinking you cared, you were a friend." He said, "but as we've got that all cleared up now, I wanted to say thanks for all the times you've manipulated me, and smashed me underfoot,like I'm some kind of loser, way below you." He spat.

"I'm sorry Cuddy, but sure as hell not for being done with you." He hissed then slammed the door to his room.


	8. Author's Note

Hi guys, I just wanted to let you all know that I've been having some account difficulties. I left the account with a friend while I was away asking him to post a chap every couple of days, and unfortunately he decided it would be hilarious to make some minor changes to all of my stories. Including, the now infamous, "slap!" which has know been deleting from the previous chapter. Other small changes he made have also been fixed, and hopefully my story makes slightly more sense now. I apologize to all of you guys who read this and were very confused. Also, I think I may be reaching the end of the story, or at least reaching the beginning of a extended break. I began this as a one-shot but when people took interest in it I decided to continue. However I had no idea where I was going with it, and now I just feel like I'm writing in circles and have no idea where to go from here. I guess basically thank you for your support as this is my first fan fic that "caught on" and I will probably at least write a quick ending if you guys are interested. But keep an eye out, as I'm going to read over reviews and hope that some genius idea comes to me and I figure out where to go with this, or if you guys have some clever ideas you know where to reach me. Thanks you, ghnobody.


	9. Epilogue

Hello everyone. Actually, I'm not sure if anyone's reading this because its been so long, but anyway. I realize I disappeared for a couple of months, but I was having some family issues, and simply didn't have the time or energy to write. This ending feels rushed and inappropriate to me, but I found it on my computer a couple of days back and decided to post it before I delete my fanfic collection for good. I imagine I originally had several chapters planned in between Chap 7, and this one, but I feel completely uninspired to write them I do apologize, but thought you might like to read it anyway, before I quit . I left it open so you can simply decide for yourself whether House comes back in the end. Thank you so much for reading, ghnobody. As usual, I don't own House.

* * *

The rest of the week passed quickly for House. When the conference ended on the last night, he was slightly relieved. He had come back here hoping to tie things up with his old life, and move on. It hadn't worked out as planned, but he was ready to move on. He wandered out into the street for one more drink before he left. Alone at the counter he ordered a single beer. He turned to the door, and almost laughed at who walked in. Sometime life seemed to have such a cruel sense of humor. Lisa Cuddy pushed the door open and glanced around the room. She froze catching sight of House. She looked almost frightened at the sight of him, and turned as though she was going to simply walk back out the door. Instead she froze for a moment then walked in. Slowly she meandered over to him, and stood awkwardly for a second then turned and sat down leaving an empty stool in between them.

She ordered a drink of some sort and they sat there silently for several minutes. Slowly he turned to her, expecting to feel anger, but instead he simply felt done, done with Princeton, done with Cuddy.

"Cuddy," he said tiredly, before looking back down into his drink.

"I'm sorry," she said simply. He didn't look up, so they simply sat there next to eachother, silently. She watched him staring into his drink. He looked almost thoughtful, and for the first time in awhile content.

"Well, Cuddles, we had a hell of a run." He said suddenly. She was startled by both him suddenly speaking to her, as well as the lack of hostility in his tone. She almost smiled, for a second, House never ceased to surprise her.

"Look," he said hurriedly, standing up. "We both made some mistakes, we ruined something good. I don't know what changed, but something did. So I'm leaving now. Goodbye." he said with a nod.

She didn't know what to say, so she blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "Are you ever coming back, you know to PPTH?"

"Maybe.." His customary smirk graced his features once more. "And give my love to the twins," he finished, eyebrows waggling. Slowly, he turned and walked to door. He didn't look back, simply stepped out and let the door swing shut.


End file.
